Verdicts reached after Leeds Rhinos, Leigh Leopards and Hull FC players appeal against disciplinary charges

But there was bad news for Leeds Rhinos prop Sam Lisone who failed in an attempt to have a charge of head conduct downgraded. Lisone pleaded guilty, but challenged the D grading. Tuesday’s operational rules tribunal ruled the grading, issued by the RFL’s match review panel, was correct and the Leeds man was suspended for three games, as well as handed a £250 fine.

He will miss Saturday’s visit of Catalans Dragons as well as games at Leigh Leopards and home to St Helens. Lisone’s fellow Rhinos forward James Donaldson accepted a two-match penalty notice for grade D head contact. Both players were sin-binned for separate offences during last Thursday’s defeat at Hull KR.

Leigh Leopards’ Jack Hughes and Ricky Leutele both succeeded in their appeals and teammate Tom Amone’s suspension was reduced from two games to one. Hughes challenged a grade B dangerous contact charge from the round one defeat by Huddersfield Giants. He was found not guilty, meaning a punishment of a £250 fine no longer applies.

Amone, who was fined £500, had a charge of grade C head contact in the same game reduced to grade B, reducing his ban from two games to one. His challenge against the grade B charge was rejected, but he will be available for the game against Leeds. The RFL said the charge was reduced “because of mitigating factors, following other comparable hearings in round one.”

Leutele, who was facing a one-match ban, successfully challenged a grade C head contact charge and his not guilty plea was upheld. The tribunal rejected an appeal by Hull FC’s former Rhinos centre Liam Sutcliffe against a charge of grade D contact with the match official in last week’s defeat by Warrington Wolves. He will serve a two-game ban and was fined £250.

The successful appeals will raise more questions over the RFL’s disciplinary system, after four players had match review panel charges downgraded at last week’s hearing. The length of Lisone’s ban shocked Rhinos who accepted the player was guilty of a high tackle on Elliot Minchella, but felt there was limited force involved.